Mushroom Plate Coral care guide
Mushroom Plate Coral (Fungia fungites) — reef coral, 24-26 °C, PAR 75-175, salinity 1.024-1.026.
Overview
Fungia fungites is a round, dome-shaped free-living plate coral with rough radial septa. It is the most commonly traded plate coral species and is regarded as a hardy intermediate-level LPS.
Taxonomy
- Family: Fungiidae
- Genus: Fungia
- Scientific name: Fungia fungites
- Common synonyms: Common Mushroom Plate
Habitat
Widely distributed across the tropical Indo-Pacific. Wild colonies rest on lagoonal and back-reef sandflats at moderate depth.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity (SG): 1.024-1.026
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Phosphate (max): 0.03 ppm
- Nitrate (max): 5 ppm
Placement and lighting
- Lighting (PAR): 75-175 PAR
- Flow: low
- Recommended tank age: 3 months
- Growth rate: 0.1-0.3 cm/mo
Place directly on a clean sandbed in the lower aquarium with low flow and moderate light. Rock placement is not recommended as the underside will be damaged.
Feeding
Photosynthetic with periodic benefit from spot-feeding. Mysis or reef-roids weekly accelerates growth and helps maintain colour.
Compatibility
Passive and non-stinging. Compatible with most other corals in a mixed reef. Reef-safe with shrimp and fish.
Care notes
Periodically check that sand grains have not collected on the upper surface; gentle blowing with a turkey baster clears them. Plate corals can roll and re-anchor themselves with no harm.